Deventer cake shop - Deventer

According to a note by the town clerk Nicolaas Verheyden, an ordinance on the baking of Deventer cake was issued in 1417. This detailed the requirements the cakes had to meet. For example, they must be long and narrow, the large cakes were allowed to weigh three pounds, the small cakes were allowed to weigh two pounds. The ordinance was to protect the recipe and the Deventer bakers: no one was allowed to produce the biscuits outside Deventer. The biscuit bakers had to swear an oath to the ordinance and the bakers' guild elders supervised its observance. If the oath was not observed, you could expect a fine determined by the local councillors.

So the rules were about appearance and weight, but also about the raw materials to be used. In 1534, 1544 and 1557, the rules were amended by the city council. This allowed the biscuits to remain tasty, stay good for a long time and withstand competition with biscuits from other cities. After inspection, the cakes are marked with the master's mark and the city eagle of Deventer.

Not only the method of preparation, but also the mixture of spices and even the blend of honey remain secret. Nevertheless, it is known that the recipe also contains rye flour and water. At the Koekwinkel (Cake shop), you can buy authentic 'Deventer Koek' (cake) or enjoy a coffee with the Deventer delicacy on the terrace.